One of the most significant changes lies in the combat. The awkward auto-aiming of previous titles is replaced by a useful cover system and excellent lock-on aiming. The usefulness of the cover system cannot be overstated.

Excellent graphics, gameplay and variety are definitely SMG's strengths, though it's certainly not perfect. The game may feel a little too easy for most gamers, as you only need to collect 60 stars to complete it and many of the boss battles are very simple. Also, the auto-camera, which functions great most of the time, does have a few hiccups at certain points.

Bioshock has got everything that a great triple-A title needs, and it’s got it in spades. Intense combat, amazing and deep story, beautiful graphics, awesome sound – yes please. Add to that the level of customization and the multiple endings, and you’ve got something worth talking about.

Regardless of whether you enjoy first-person shooters or not, The Orange Box is one title that every gamer must experience. If you buy one game this year, make it The Orange Box.

Bioshock has got everything that a great triple-A title needs, and it’s got it in spades. Intense combat, amazing and deep story, beautiful graphics, awesome sound – yes please.

Fans of the series will be delighted by the recurring themes, but may be soured by a strong sense of repetition.

In the end, Gears of War isn't perfect, but it does what it does so incredibly well that you just can't help but love it.

The combat is all very smooth and familiar, and feels like a return to an old friend. But, when placing this combat into the intensely long Subspace Emissary mode, it doesn’t quite mesh.

Company of Heroes has revitalized the concept of what an RTS can be, positioning it as a contender for game of the year. Strategy gamers rejoice!

Accompanying all of the great gameplay and astounding visuals is an amazing score. The music behind God of War II is as epic as any other component, and it serves to make the game a much more intense and immersive experience.

This game is just absolutely beautiful, and I can’t wait to see what types of things this will inspire over the next generation.

Every objective feels fresh, and enjoyably chaotic, because more than anything, Modern Warfare illustrates the constant state of FUBAR that war often is.

Guitar Hero II is one of the greatest games ever created. It's innovative, addicting, polished and just plain awesome.

Xbox Live support is great here as well. Online play is great, and you can jam with a band halfway across the world, which is seriously technically impressive. The downloadable content support is fantastic as well, even this soon after the game’s been released.

There will likely be some songs you don’t like, but jamming along with them just might give you a whole new appreciation for the subtle nuances of classics like "Cherry Pie."

The new Wii controls definitely make it worth plaything through again. At $29 there’s almost no excuse for not picking this one up, especially if you’re looking for the best demonstration of the Wii Remote yet.

What makes this type of play so much fun is the fact that the levels are so huge.

Just a very safe outing for the series. There are no major chances taken and it shows.

Not that it isn’t fun, but aliens are a little -too- human, even the really really weird ones. These problems are thankfully not nearly big enough to drag Mass Effect down, as in reality, they amount to little more than petty but necessary gripes about an otherwise great title – it’s a fantastic experience.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is a phenomenal Zelda game, pure and simple. The creative minds at Nintendo have managed to take classic gameplay and infuse it with all of the Nintendo DS’ unique capabilities to create an adventure for Link unlike any before.

Minor issues with the presentation and level design prevent it from achieving its full potential, yet it's still an enjoyable experience.

It’s loaded with extras and great touches that push it over the edge of greatness, so much so that the bland graphics are quickly forgotten.

The outstanding combination of tight gameplay and a first-rate presentation make it a great game.

While this game is pretty shallow in terms of content, it still becomes a great pickup for some mindless fun and destruction.

While this game is not perfect, it comes close to touching it on several points, and absolutely nails it on the story. This tale is gripping the whole way through, and has the value to be revisited over and over again, just like any DVD movie on your shelf.

Ubisoft has corrected past mistakes, much too their credit, and have delivered one of the strongest Rainbow Six games yet.

There are some programming errors on the game that some veterans find game breaking. Any simple moves such as throwing a stone during battle, causes this relatively long slow down.

Sins of a Solar Empire makes no apologies for being ambitiously massive and deep.

When all is said and done, the only thing I'm left with is an insatiable desire to play Episode Two. With a bargain price of $20 Half-Life 2: Episode One is a requisite PC experience. I just wish they had pushed the envelope a little more like they did in Half-Life 2.

All in all, Elite Beat Agents is easily one of the best games on the DS and just about everyone should like it, whether they enjoy rhythm games or not.

If you had any fun with GTA whatsoever, or enjoy the game play of a sandbox type game but long for tamer content, you’ll have a great time with this one.

The collection aspects of the game in addition to the online modes make this a real gem in the PSP’s lineup.

In short, Zack and Wiki made me love these adventuring, puzzle-solving games all over again. Here’s hoping for a sequel and even more innovation.

In the end, Gears of War isn't perfect, but it does what it does so incredibly well that you just can't help but love it.

Persona 3 is an amazingly unique title for the Playstation 2. Even if you're not a fan of dungeon crawls, Persona 3 deserves your attention for its maturity alone. Gamers that are sick of typical JRPG settings will love the new atmosphere and relish the creepy style.

But for the rest of us who don't want to make a career out of a game and preferred the new direction that "Company of Heroes" offered, Commander is bound to be a huge letdown.

The unfortunate truth about Resistance: Fall of Man is that it’s just not all it should have been. It’s probably one of the best launch titles from any console ever, but with the extra time they had before release it should feel like a solid year-one title. It doesn’t.

It's one of the strongest titles I've seen yet for the handheld and, frankly, one of the better games to be released on any platform in quite some time.

With its expanded Epic Game, 12 new scenarios, tons of mods from the community, 10 new civilizations, 16 new leaders, corporations, espionage, random events, 5 new wonders, enhanced space victory, Apostolic Palace diplomacy and enhanced AI, this is the best $29 you'll spend all year.

One of the best games of its type on the DS. Though I personally prefer the direction that Puzzle Quest offers, Planet Puzzle League holds its own by offering so many ways to play and all presented in a style that would make Q Entertainment proud.

This game is a ton of fun, and feels like a definite improvement to some of GTA’s core elements. Rather than just smush a GTA game onto the PSP, it seems like some thought was put into this one specifically to make it a great handheld game.

Everything about the world appears more detailed, and the fantastic lighting effects from the first game appear even better here.

It won’t give you an experience like one you’ve had before, but it’s one you won’t soon forget. You won’t be pulling off the crazy impossible stunts you may have in Tony Hawk, but it’s equally – if not more – fun to pull off something really technically challenging in skate. With a little patience and perseverance this game can provide a really great experience.

Kudos to Bethesda for going the extra mile and delivering an expansion pack worthy of their history...as well as taking a risk on such a bizarre setting.

I came into this chomping at the bit to play “Knights of Cydonia” but I have found so much more with this game. I’m positive that I will be shredding on this until the next Hero graces my presence, unless a certain Rock Band can steal me away.

The players are all modeled with such care and effort that it will make your jaw drop. The clothes will ripple when the pitcher raises his leg mid-throw, and dirt will cake on the uniforms of the players who have made a few diving saves in the infield.

Though the online mode fails to reach its potential, the game itself is polished to perfection.

They want their multiplayer and this is where it shines, though hardcore fans of previous installments will most likely not be very pleased with some of the changes.

Though Tiberium Wars fails to push the envelope like recent competitors "Supreme Commander" and "Company of Heroes," it's nonetheless a solid title and brilliant homage to its series' heyday.

Visually, Super Stardust is stunning. It's easily the best-looking downloadable game for the PS3 and I'll go so far as to call it a killer-app, much like Geometry Wars for the 360.

The sound is also unfortunately not quite up to snuff compared to the rest of the game. It’s done well enough, and it sounds crisp, but the music is just not memorable.

An excellent way to spend some quality time with your DS and genuinely worth the small investment from your bank account.

With so many missions available, Dead Rising is sure to keep its players busy.

The new Weapons system is a fun addition, and actually manages to make the game a bit friendlier to new players. The gameplay itself is solid, but the overall presentation is still lacking. Here’s hoping to a more robust online mode and a better use of the ESPN license in the 09 iteration.

Though the online mode fails to reach its potential, the game itself is polished to perfection.

Though it is more approachable than previous versions, Virtua Fighter 5 still takes a lot of work before it becomes fun, and sixty dollars aside, it may be too big an investment for most casual gamers.

The most well-rounded and customizable game currently available on Xbox Live Arcade. The graphics are crisp, the animations fun and the options are many. It's so good, it even makes up for Bomberman Act Zero. Yes, it's THAT good.

GRAW2 may be a few months late but the wait was definitely worth it and patient PS3 owners have been rewarded with one of the best titles for the console yet.

It’s simply the best kid’s game that isn’t a kid’s game that has been released in years.

NBA 2K7 brings together the total package for any gamer.

While it is true that the game has a 20 minute install on the PS3, making any immediate demon slicing an impossibility, it isn’t that excruciating of an experience.

With its deep yet surprisingly simple gameplay, DEFCON is an addictive title that deserves a spot on any strategy gamer’s hard drive.

Though Enemy Territory: Quake Wars certainly doesn’t reinvent the team-based multiplayer shooter, it borrows just enough from each figurehead and adds its own style and polish to produce a rock-solid online game.

We do have our own contemporary saga, and it’s called Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria.

You're going to need the patience of Job to persevere in the early stages, but if you manage it then you're in for one of the best multiplayer experiences available.

With graphics and sound like this, only the staunchest of racing-game-haters will be able to skim over this game on the shelves of their local retailer. When you get into the gameplay, it’s pure fun and pure fast – the perfect combination for a racing game. DiRT is easily one of the best looking racing games we’ve ever seen, and provides an amazingly challenging and fun experience – at least in single player mode.

UT3 is quick, fun, violent, and positively a blast to play, despite a couple minor shortcomings.

Ultimately, Crush stands tall as a successful experiment in game design, offering up a shiny new puzzle concept that could very well set a new standard for future clones.

The gameplay is where this title shines, and it shines bright. The game doesn’t last as long as a GTA title, and the variety of other sandbox games just isn’t here, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun. If you’re looking for some mindless explosions or an amazing co-op game, this will hit the spot.

While you're obviously not going to get the same experience available on your Xbox's big brother, the 360, the game is no slouch here.

If you like your puzzle games like Puzzle League or Meteos, then you'll want to stay clear of Picross DS. However, if crosswords or brain-benders like Sudoku is more your style, then you will love this version. It has a lot to offer and the ability to create and share puzzles ensures a long-life span.

This rounds out a lot of the mysteries of the events leading up to FF7 and it is a fun treat for a fan to go through and remember a lot of the flashbacks from the original game being fleshed out in this installment.

Pac-Man Championship edition is a welcome change for the Pac-universe. There’s enough variety, newness, and challenge to keep old fans and new players entertained for a long time. This is definitely a great example of the way that retro games should come to the Live Arcade.

Nothing short of spectacular.

Well beyond just another competent racing game. It’s absolutely one of the pinnacle examples of simulation racing.

Hitman: Blood Money is an enjoyable sequel that doesn’t take too many risks in regards to changes to its now successful formula. So fans who were content with most of Agent 47s methods should be happy. For those neophytes out there considering some experience with murder-for-hire, you will find getting Blood Money to be very rewarding.

This game is substantially harder than the previous two, and may cause a newcomer to the series to reconsider their purchase.

One of the most enjoyable, unique, and visually appealing titles the veteran PS2 has ever seen. With a brawler foundation and borrowing from several other gameplay styles, Odin Sphere should appeal old-school gamers, RPG fans, and even button-mashers alike.

Really, anyone that loved those side-scrolling beat-‘em-ups from arcades past owes it to themself to give Marvel: Ultimate Alliance a spin.

This game is substantially harder than the previous two.

A game that’s built on a foundation of great gameplay with an intense and unique story. The look and sound of the game are awesome as well.

The innovations and online aspects have shown that this series is once again a force to be reckoned with.

Even though the graphics are going to be toned down here, it’s still a solid and enjoyable game. Online is scaled back on the PS2, allowing only 16 players in a game, rather than the 24 offered on PS3.

Stalker attempts to be many things, which is a lofty and worthy goal, but its inability to deliver is a huge disappointment. It wants to be an RPG, offering you an inventory and items with modifiers, and yet has no implementation of experience, skills or adjusting your attributes. It also wants to be a free-roam, huge world, Oblivion/GTA hybrid, but comes across as having bitten off more than it could chew.

Hitman: Blood Money is an enjoyable sequel that doesn’t take too many risks in regards to changes to its now successful formula. So fans who were content with most of Agent 47s methods should be happy. For those neophytes out there considering some experience with murder-for-hire, you will find getting Blood Money to be very rewarding.

Now, this iteration of the classic game shows that with some love and polishing, these old favorite games of ours really do stand the test of time, and even outperform some new games.

From the depth of field effects to the smoke, the textures on the guns and even the grass, it all simply looks smashingly better on the 360.

When it comes right down to it, Sid Meier's Pirates for the PSP is a good game but a bad port.

Any gamer casually interested in RTS games should pick this one up, as it provides a unique look back at the genre's roots in an entertaining and polished manner.

Flight Simulator X: Acceleration really is a must-buy for fans of the series. For $30 you get a great amount of content, and the improvements to FSX overall make it worth purchasing both Acceleration and the original game if you’ve still been cruising in FS2004.

Easily the best puzzle game yet released on the DS.

Hitman: Blood Money is an enjoyable sequel that doesn’t take too many risks in regards to changes to its now successful formula. So fans who were content with most of Agent 47s methods should be happy. For those neophytes out there considering some experience with murder-for-hire, you will find getting Blood Money to be very rewarding.

All in all, the work and innovation that was put in to this game really shows.

NBA 2K8 is easily the best hoops game on the market this year, a tremendous leap over last year’s game, and one of the best sports games ever made. Bravo Visual Concepts.

It may be too over-the-top for some, but if you’re a fan of the Grand Theft Auto series, this will keep you securely fastened in the free-form third-person action genre… just don’t let the kids act this one out.

The game's still not perfect, but the end result is a college football title with the depth to appease fans of the sport yet simple enough to attract newcomers. Hardcore fans might be disappointed with the presentation, which doesn't always feel like college football, but there's no denying that the gameplay has been tuned to perfection.

In the end, you can't help but feel that Jade Empire lost its focus in the design phase. No one element really works, no one element really stands out.

Hitman: Blood Money is an enjoyable sequel that doesn't take too many risks in regards to changes to its now successful formula. So fans who were content with most of Agent 47s methods should be happy. For those neophytes out there considering some experience with murder-for-hire, you will find getting Blood Money to be very rewarding.